I bought a Beatles themed tea towel, which I doubt could really be a tea towel, so I have it hanging on my wall. It seemed like a better option than buying a poster, because it'd be difficult for me to bring the poster back to the US.
Tomorrow I'm going to Stratford Upon Avon, which -- according to my British friends -- is a nice place to go to. It is also the birthplace of William Shakespeare, so tomorrow should be educational as well as fun. I'm going with a big group of my friends. Originally I didn't expect to travel so much, but it's crazy -- the university organizes these groups for any student to go on, so tomorrow I'll be with British and American friends. Also, I surprisingly have a lot of time.
I'm already being forced to drop a module, as I listed earlier. I think, despite me not wanting to, I will have to drop Cancer Biology. It conflicts with my genetics course sometimes, and I'd really not want to deal with missing lectures. The reason its schedule is so messed up is because there are 6 professors for that class that all give lectures at different times. However, I will have to console myself by saying I probably wouldn't have done well in that class right now because of lack of background info, and I should just take it at UIUC when I know more biology.
I still haven't emailed my department yet though. I can't bring myself to drop a module.
Anyway though, 60 credits means I have the required load of modules, but that involves very little contact hours. A lot of the time is spent on my own, and doing my readings and write-ups don't take too long (especially because I have so much time in between seminars), and my data analysis homework is relatively easy. It's all plug and chug so far. I know things will pick up, but right now things are good. I love my history course and my drug design course!!!
Since I have more free time than I anticipated, I bought a gym membership. It feels good to know I can go to the gym, but it's funny because I can't actually use the equipment. It costs 50p to do that. Apparently it's a new facility, and they're still trying to pay it off, so the extra cost. I am allowed to go to any group fitness class though for free (except pilates, which I don't do anyway). The sad thing about this is that a lot of the classes I want to take I can't go to because of lecture, and each class only meets one a week. They think you should have more variety. I went to a tai chi class and a aeroattack class so far. Tai chi was ok -- my lesson in Hong Kong was a lot better, but the one here was interesting. I barely broke a sweat in aeroattack, but she hinted that it will get harder through the semester. I hope so.
Today I went to a Boxercise class though. Boxercise is a student group that teaches a 2 hour class each week (and one or two times a week) that involves a lot of abs, bum, and leg exercises the first hour, then kickboxing the second hour. I definitely got a workout!! I want to continue to go, especially because I don't have anything on Fridays, but it costs more money. Luckily though, if I do decide to go, I don't have to pay to get into the Sports Centre. To get in costs 4 GBP, but I already have the gym pass. However, Boxercise is 3 GBP each time, or 1 GBP each time with a 15 GBP membership.
I really like the class, but I don't know if it's worth more money right now. At least I know how to punch properly now.
Besides working out, I'm thinking of trying to see if I can get into a lab here, or talk with some professors about their research. My drug design professor sounds like he does interesting research, but I know I don't have enough of a chemistry background. I hope to find the bioengineering researchers.
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